Veteran pastor, professor, and church planter Horrell suggests that the customs, patterns, and structures of churches may actually be barriers to what God 's purposes for the church really are.

This book will be helpful to at least three groups of people: 1. Those who have never heard of the "Restoration Movement." This fast-growing, 19th-century effort sought to unite believers and evangelize the world by teaching and practicing the Christianity of the New Testament. The book introduces readers to Christian Churches and Churches of Christ which continue to share this vision. 2. Those who know a little about this fellowship of churches, but want to learn more. 3. Those who want an up-to-date look at the most recent available facts and figures, along with a review of the basic principles of the Restoration Movement. Book jacket.

A founding member of the Jesus Seminar presents a new edition of the New Testament that includes ten more recently discovered texts, selected by a council of scholars and spiritual leaders, along with the classic books.

Why cell church? Is it because David Cho's church, the largest church in the history of Christianity, is a cell church? Is it because someone said the number twelve will bring blessings and growth? Is it because cell church is the strategy that many "great" churches are using? Ralph Neighbour repeatedly says, "Theology must breed methodology." This book sets forth the biblical theology for cell based ministry. Without biblical truth, we don't have a firm under-pinning upon which we can hang our ministry and philosophy. On the other hand, we can plod through most anything when we know that God is stirring us to behave biblically. Cell church is not the latest, greatest church growth strategy. If it were, it would simply be a passing fad until the next hotter, more relevant strategy comes along. In fact, in many places around the world, cell church transforms the church through a purification process. Church growth is slow but cell church helps Christ's church go deeper. Joel Comiskey has been studying the cell church movement since 1991 and has discovered that the cell church strategy doesn't produce rapid growth in itself. God reserves growth for himself. He wants to receive the glory for all church growth. The first section of this book covers the Trinity, the model for all small group community. The good news is that the Trinity works within believers to mold and shape them into his image. This section explores God's emphasis on the family, starting from Genesis, Christ's formation of a new family, and then the early church's focus on family. Comiskey believes that family is the principal image of the church in Scripture. The last chapter in this section explains Jesus and his kingdom and more specifically how Jesus trained his disciples to evangelism through home-based outreach. Section two reveals how the early church met in homes. It explores what they did in those home meetings, the size of the house churches, and how home evangelism took place through ancient oikos relationships. Comiskey looks at how New Testament leadership developed naturally through the house church structure and how the early church connected the house churches into celebration gatherings (large group meetings). The last section applies all eight chapters to the church today. This last section draws out the New Testament insights that are applicable to the 21st century church.

In the last days of the twentieth century, leading New Testament scholar and popular preacher Daniel Harrington, S.J., asked himself two powerful questions: What might the church of the first century have to say to the church of the twenty-first century? And How might a brief sythesis of what the New Testament says and does not say about the church help bring greater vitality within and unity among the churches? The result of Father Harrington's research and thinking is this timely and important book.

“...after much prayer and meditation, God spoke to me.” I combed through scriptures, reading about the church and more about Jesus and His relationship with his disciples, especially focusing on Peter and his bond with the church. What was its purpose? Why couldn't the thoughts of the church, the Body of Christ, the pure meaning of its intent be left alone? My brothers and sisters, after countless days of tumultuous soul searching and restless nights, God has revealed to me that the transformation begins with the acceptance of His Son. However, at times we are alienated and an enemy of Christ, destitute by the wicked works of our minds. Conversely, through his sacrificial death, He has reconciled us, to present us “holy, unblameable and unreproveable” to himself. When you journey through the pages of this book, allow the process to continue. Jesus works from the inside out. The mind is the center for change. As you continue to walk in Christ, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. Let this book be the compass that guides you back on course so that you too, can become the church that Christ intended you to be!